The New York Jets are absolutely in the tight end market; make no mistake about it. Therefore, it makes all the sense in the world that somebody would consider them a potential destination for Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer.
Shortly after The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed reported the Raiders are shopping Mayer, longtime NFL reporter Chad Forbes suggested the Jets as a potential destination.
Michael Mayer is a Y bully
Mayer, 23, is still incredibly young, given his NFL experience of two seasons. Drafted No. 35 in the 2023 NFL draft, the Notre Dame product has yet to make an offensive splash in the league.
His 460 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns on 48 receptions over 25 professional games leaves a lot to be desired. However, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 265 pounds, Mayer is a classic inline tight end who can block with the best of them.
Mayer’s 65.0 run-blocking score via PFF placed him 13th in the NFL this past season. The Jets’ top two tight ends found themselves on the opposite side of the coin:
- Tyler Conklin: 42.9 (68th of 73)
- Jeremy Ruckert: 39.0 (72nd of 73)
While the Jets coaching staff had no idea how to visualize and implement an actual rushing-design concept, their tight ends didn’t help matters. Mayer, on the other hand, is a complete bulldozer at the Y.
The Jets had draft interest in 2023
Remember, the Jets’ interest in Mayer was revealed in an episode of the organization’s acclaimed “One Jets Drive.” The audience could hear Joe Douglas and the war room mentioning a few names:
- Will McDonald
- Michael Mayer
- Broderick Jones
With Jones off the board (Pittsburgh Steelers, courtesy of Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots), New York ultimately selected McDonald.
Last offseason, tight end Brock Bowers was also a hot name connected to the Jets during the buildup period. In the end, however, the Raiders snagged the play-making Georgia stud, which is now making it possible for the team to shop Mayer.
Let’s just say this: The New York Jets and tight end help have been synonymous for at least a couple of seasons. While big-time questions surround Michael Mayer’s pass-catching ceiling, his inline blocking prowess may be incredibly attractive to Aaron Glenn and Tanner Engstrand.
What would it cost?
This is the obvious tricky part.
Forbes suggests a fourth-round selection could get it done. More precisely, he thinks a fourth-round-plus is more in the neighborhood of a fair asking price.
Granted, the Raiders are thrilled about Bowers as the starting tight end, but they’re taking a major hit in how it devalued Mayer. Right now, as the TE2 in Las Vegas, even a Round 4 pick is highly debatable (for a backup tight end).
It’ll come down to how many teams in the Mayer market believe he’s just a TE2.
Ideally, and personally speaking, employing a tremendous blocking tight end as the TE2 on the depth chart—behind a more vertical threat/possession starter—is living in a perfect world. Of course, not all worlds are perfect.
Stay tuned to see if and where Michael Mayer is shipped and whether the New York Jets show any interest in the big fella.
